The sacrifice of preserving authenticity, personality in older homes

When old style meets new, strive for a perfect match, By Lori Harlan Older houses nestled on tree-lined streets have character and charm often lacking in new home construction. But the handcrafted quality and attention to detail in an older home can come at an expense. The challenge homeowners face when adding contemporary features to an older home is in preserving the home’s personality. The updates should blend not only with the house itself, but also with others in the neighborhood, according to Mike von Behren, owner of Michael von Behren Builder Inc. For more than 30 years, von Behren has been remodeling homes while maintaining their original integrity and individuality. The volume of his work suggests a trend in refurbishing older homes in lieu of buying or building new ones. “Newer homes require less maintenance, but people like the feel of older homes,” says Randy Johnstone, a Realtor with the Real Estate Group. Homebuyers, particularly young couples, Johnstone says, are drawn to older homes that need some work. He says high ceilings, hardwood floors, grand staircases, fireplaces flanked by built-in bookcases and expansive porches are popular selling points. With considerable advancements in building material, updates - both interior and exterior - can be made without compromising the original look of the home. These materials duplicate Old World style but also require more maintenance, von Behren says. “It’s a sacrifice. You have to choose - maintenance-free material or authenticity. Authenticity comes with both maintenance and cost,” he says. Maintenance includes painting, caulking and other exterior attention every few years. Traditional material like vinyl and aluminum require little or no maintenance. Foundations When you put on an addition, you expect the foundations to match, von Behren says. But many older homes have brick foundations and newer homes have concrete. To make old and new match, von Behren uses a process called brick stamping. Once stamped and either painted or stained, the foundation has the look of brick with the durability of concrete. Of course, it costs more than a modern concrete foundation. Siding Unlike modern-day vinyl-sided houses, old homes often have cedar siding. The shingles were applied individually, a laborious and time-consuming process. To replicate this look, von Behren recommends one of two options. The first is concrete-based lap siding (sold under the brand name James Hardie Siding Products). The cementous siding has to be primed and painted like wood, but it matches the original profile of the house, he says. It also holds paint better than wood. “You’d paint wood twice before you ever paint the cementous siding,” von Behren says. The second option is real cedar wood-shingle siding, which comes in six and eight-foot sheets making it faster and easier to hang. Windows Replacing windows is perhaps the easiest way to improve an older home’s energy efficiency while maintaining its original character, von Behren says. Manufacturers make restoration windows to match existing windows in older homes. The windows have real wood inside like the originals, but have a modern, maintenance-free exterior, he says. His company sometimes makes its own trim for the outside of new windows to maintain the original profile. “We have our own mill shop to control the final look. Everything isn’t always readily available on the market,” von Behren says. “Some renovations require custom work.” Kitchens and bathrooms Kitchens and bathrooms in older homes, typically small and outdated, usually require remodeling. Small rooms can be made bigger by combining two rooms into one or knocking out a closet to create a master bathroom suite, von Behren says. If space isn’t available, he recommends considering an addition. “Old homes don’t have the gathering space created by adjoining kitchens and family rooms popular in newer houses,” he says. “You really can’t get that kind of space without adding to the existing structure.” Ceramic tile and antique-style plumbing fixtures replicate the period look in kitchens and bathrooms. Porches Newer products made of fiberglass and composite materials replicate the look of old-fashioned porch products, von Behren says. The material never rots and the paint holds for 10 to 12 years, he says. “You’ll never replace it, only maintain it.”